The free ride is over for the San Francisco 49ers.

Owners of one of the NFL’s most talented overall rosters, the 49ers had a payroll cheat code for the last two seasons. They spent virtually nothing on the quarterback position, thanks to starter Brock Purdy playing at a Pro Bowl level and earning at or below $1 million both seasons.

In 2025, though, Purdy is eligible for an extension, and he’ll be looking for a raise in the ballpark of $50 million per year. Statistics would dictate that Purdy is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but not every evaluator thinks his skill level merits a premium contract.

Is there a world where the 49ers and Purdy can’t agree on a new deal? If so, the door could theoretically open for San Francisco to sign a much older Pro Bowler instead.

In a recent article, Scott Conrad of FanSided suggested that if the 49ers and Purdy are at an “impasse,” San Francisco could sign 36-year-old Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, a four-time Pro Bowler coming off a season in which he lost his starting job.

“Should the (Falcons) move Cousins, he may be the better answer than extending Purdy,” Conrad wrote. “Especially if Purdy’s asking price winds up exceeding the 49ers’ comfort level, which is always a possibility.”

“While the 49ers’ practical route is keeping Purdy, the more lucrative option with the future in mind may be to go after Cousins, especially from a cost-savings perspective.”

The Falcons would have a $65 million dead cap hit if they cut Cousins, but they know his salary makes it unlikely anyone will trade for him. Therefore, cutting him loose may be their only recourse to saving any money on his contract, giving the 49ers a potential opportunity.

At this stage of their respective careers, Purdy is the surer thing with more upside. But San Francisco also saw Atlanta’s mistake with Cousins, so they have to be at least a bit wary of giving Purdy a monster deal.

That doesn’t make Cousins replacing Purdy the most likely scenario by any means. But it’s also not outside the realm of possibility.